Lightweight
by AshleighLoryn
Summary: A story of two girls who have a lot more going on in their lives than the other can see upon first meeting. Rachel Berry is trying to escape her past. On the other hand, Quinn Fabray is trying desperately to cling to hers. (Elaborate summary inside.)
1. Let the Good Times Roll

_**Lightweight, An AU Faberry story**_

_**Summary: A story of two girls who have a lot more going on in their lives than the other can see upon first meeting. Rachel Berry is trying to escape her past. On the other hand, Quinn Fabray is trying desperately to cling to hers. Rachel is a typical badass, constantly getting in trouble, so much to the point that her fathers have sent her to live with her mother in Lima. Quinn, on the other hand is trying to regain her parents trust, and show them that her previous pregnancy has not changed her in the slightest, nor has it affected her social image. When the girls meet, their personalities clash heavily. **_

_**Suggested listening for the chapter: Tough- Kellie Pickler; Cuz I Can- P!nk; This Ain't A Love Song- Scouting for Girls; Thnks Fr Th Mmrs- Fall Out Boy; Thanks for Nothing-The Downtown Fiction**_

* * *

_This is going to be your year, Quinn Fabray. _The blonde was staring in the full body mirror in her underwear. She'd been working out all summer long, to lose the baby weight. _The connection to Noah Puckerman is no longer there. Beth has a nice, loving family that will take care of her way better than I ever could've. Mom and Dad took me back in, sweeping this issue under the rug. We'll never talk about it again, thank goodness. Junior year, I will be wearing that cheerio's uniform, being hoisted in the air on the top of that pyramid. Don't think about anything else. No boys this year. Cut all contact from Puckerman. You don't know him anymore. What baby? Be strong, Quinn. You're the HBIC, the head cheerleader, the top dog at this school. At least, I will be once I convince Coach Sylvester to put me back on the team. But I'm pulling out all the stops. I will get back on this squad, one way or another. That's the thinking you need, Q. _The blonde smiled at herself in the mirror once more and got dressed.

School started again in three short weeks, and currently Quinn was at McKinley, knowing the cheerios had cheer camp all week. Her plan was to find Sue, and talk to her. When she didn't see the cheerios in the gym, she knew they were probably outside, running. Sue wanted the girls to be in shape. She approached the woman on the field, smiling at the familiar scene of the cheerios running laps, and Sue screaming at them into the megaphone. "Coach Sylvester." She said simply. Sue stopped mid-sentence. "Quinn Fabray. What are you doing here, I specifically remember kicking you off the team when you got knocked up." She said dismissively. "I'm fully aware of that, however I believe there is reason for you to consider allowing me to come back. As you can see, I'm not pregnant anymore, and I've already lost all of the baby weight." _Come on, Sue, you know I was your best cheerio._

Sue glared at her, and looked her up and down. "Q, there is no way I am letting you back onto this team." Quinn had a feeling the woman was going to say that. Luckily, she'd prepared for that. "What if I told you Santana had a boob job over the summer? Haven't you noticed that her cheerio's uniform has grown in size?" _Sorry Santana, but I've got a game plan for this year. You know we're only friends because of our popularity status. _

Sue looked over to where Santana was, and realized that Quinn was indeed correct. "Get out of here. Go get changed, I'm reinstating you as head cheerleader." Quinn smiled, and ran quickly back to the locker room to change into her cheerio's uniform as Sue screamed Santana's name into the megaphone. _I knew that would work. Maybe this year is working out in my favor after all. _

* * *

"Rachel, get your butt down here now!" Leroy yelled up the stairs. The brunette rolled her eyes at her father's tone, and got up, figuring she'd humor him. "What?" She asked, knowing full well what she'd done. "This is the third call in two days about your behavior at school. Sex in the bathroom, Rachel. Really?" The brunette leaned against the wall, and pretended to be interested in the conversation. "What on Earth possessed you to do that?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I was bored with math class. So me and this chick I know decided to do something a little more productive." _Productive, indeed. I tried out three new different positions. _Rachel smirked to herself.

Hiram, her other father put his head in his hands. "Rachel, we raised you better than this. Ever since-" He cut himself off, knowing how sensitive this topic was to Rachel. "You know what I'm talking about, you've been acting up, skipping school, participating in illegal activities-" "Dad, it's just partying. I'm not doing drugs or anything." _I'm not that stupid, please._ "The point is, you've been out of control. Your father and I have discussed it, and got in touch with your mother, we think it'll be productive if you stay with her. She lives in Ohio, the town is small, and you can't possibly get into trouble out there. Not too much trouble anyway."

Leroy watched his daughter's reaction. She was surprisingly calm about it. "Fine. I was getting bored with New York anyway." _That was sarcasm._ She slumped off, and returned to her room. Leroy looked at Hiram. "Are you sure this is for the best? She's our little girl. I don't want to send her away." Hiram stood. "It's truly what she needs right now. A change of scenery, a fresh start. That Ciara girl truly messed her up. I think this is for the best." Leroy nodded. "Alright, I trust you."

Rachel shut her door, and sat down on her bed. Looking around her room, she realized she really did need this. She was starting to get bored with the same old thing day in and day out. The only thing she was worried about was her mother. She knew the woman, but they weren't close. And it wasn't from lack of trying on Shelby's part. Rachel had no interest in building a relationship. She was too busy with her own life. She kept herself entertained, mostly to get Ciara out of her mind. Not that she admitted her feelings out loud. Ever.

* * *

Moving was easy. Rachel wasn't a sentimental person, so she didn't exactly have a lot of stuff to take with her. She threw her clothes into a few suitcases, and packed up her posters and CD's. The night before her flight, her dads took her out to dinner, intending on having a good night with their daughter. Rachel was kind of disconnected through the whole thing. All she could think about was her new school. What sort of adventures would lie there for her? Was it going to suck? All in all, the brunette just hoped she wouldn't be _bored. _Rachel didn't do bored well.

The flight went smoothly, and she arrived in the Fort Wayne airport in the early afternoon. Her mother was there waiting, excited to be spending more time with her daughter. "Hi, baby!" She greeted, wrapping her arms around her daughter. Rachel patted her back, and pulled away. Shelby was sweet, but Rachel wasn't interested in conversation. "We've got a bit of a drive back to Lima, this was the closest airport." Rachel sighed to herself. _Great. Just what I need. A conversational ride back to the cow town. _

Once they loaded all of her luggage into Shelby's car, the drive back to Lima began. Rachel half listened to Shelby as she explained the rules. "Listen, Rachel. I know what's been going on. Your dads explained it. So the rules are simple. You have a curfew. Nine on the weekdays, midnight on weekends. I don't want to hear about you skipping classes. I work at McKinley, so I will know." Rachel rolled her eyes. _The more you tell me to not do something, the more I want to do it, _Mom. _Don't parents get that? _She sighed and nodded. "Alright." After that, Rachel plugged in her headphones and muttered some lame excuse about being tired from the flight.

Shelby backed off more when they got home. "I can help you get the suitcases up to your room, but I unfortunately do have to work tonight, I am so sorry, Rachel. Tomorrow I'm off, and we can do something together." She smiled sweetly. Rachel just nodded, and let the woman help her. Once she was gone, Rachel looked around her new room. The walls were so plain. White and boring. This would be a project for Rachel. She unpacked, and started hanging up her posters. Broadway posters, a few movies and some of her favorite bands. She had quite a bit of diversity. Standing back, satisfied with her room for now, the brunette smirked. _School starts in a few days and then I can get some entertainment. Minus the fact that I have to actually go... _Rachel scowled at the thought. She figured she'd play by Shelby's rules for awhile, and give her a good impression before she started to raise hell.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! I know I have other unfinished stories, but I'm working diligently on them. This story was running through my mind however, and I really just wanted to get it written down before I forgot about it. I'll be uploading the next chapter in a few hours, just because it's already halfway done. I hope you enjoy the AU of it all!**


	2. You Spin My Head Right Round

_**Lightweight, An AU Faberry story**_

_**Summary: A story of two girls who have a lot more going on in their lives than the other can see upon first meeting. Rachel Berry is trying to escape her past. On the other hand, Quinn Fabray is trying desperately to cling to hers. Rachel is a typical badass, constantly getting in trouble, so much to the point that her fathers have sent her to live with her mother in Lima. Quinn, on the other hand is trying to regain her parents trust, and show them that her previous pregnancy has not changed her in the slightest, nor has it affected her social image. When the girls meet, their personalities clash heavily.**_

_**Suggested Listening for this chapter: It's My Life- Bon Jovi, Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Green Day, Don't Trust Me- 3OH!3, Right Round- Timbaland ft. Ke$ha**_

* * *

"Rach!" Shelby yelled up the stairs. "Are you ready to go? I've got to get to the school a bit early today, it's the first day." Rachel rubbed her eyes, and got out of bed. "I'll be ready in a sec!" She yelled back. She changed her clothes quickly, settling on an oversized t-shirt and a pair of jeans that smelled clean. She ran the brush through her hair quickly, and shoved a few things into her book bag. Grabbing her iPod and her phone, she bounded down the stairs, and accepted the banana that Shelby offered her. "We can stop for breakfast somewhere if you'd like." Rachel nodded, and they were off.

* * *

Once they got to school, Shelby handed Rachel her schedule. "I do have you in one of my classes, so don't try to skip it." Shelby warned. Rachel rolled her eyes. "I know, I got it. I'll see you later." She walked in the opposite direction to find her locker, and shove things into it. She wasn't one for carrying everything around all day. Finally, she found her locker. She threw her bag in, and slammed the locker shut. She turned around and saw a slushie flying at her. She quickly dodged the icy drink, and glared at her perpetrator. The boy was wearing a letterman jacket and sported a Mohawk. He stared at her with a dumb look on his face. "Did you do that on purpose?"

"It's new student initiation, babe don't take it personally," He said. Rachel stepped to him, and grabbed him firmly by his balls, squeezing hard. "I am not your 'babe', and I am most definitely not okay with the slushie thing. Ever try something like that again and I will show you what happens to guys that try to fuck with me, got it?" The mohawked boy nodded, and Rachel let go of him. "What's your name?" She asked. "Noah Puckerman. I'm kind of big shit around here." He told her cockily. "Rachel Berry." She said, rolling her eyes at him. "Ya know you're kinda cool, Berry. We could be friends." She scoffed. "And why would I befriend you. You just tried to toss a slushie in my face."

"Well I'm a badass and you're a badass. It could be a cool kind of alliance. Like Bonnie and Clyde or something." Rachel rolled her eyes at his reference. "I do have to tell you that I'm not interested in you in any way, shape or form."

"Everyone's interested in me, Berry." She shook her head. "Do you have a vagina?" The look on Puck's face was priceless. "Damn, that's hot." Was all he said. Rachel rolled her eyes. "Listen, I don't care if you dig chicks. It's something we have in common, so we'd have something to talk about." Puck pointed out. Rachel smiled. "Alright, Puckerman. You seem cool aside from the slushie thing. I think we can make this work. Let me see your schedule." Rachel said. They compared classes, and Rachel smirked. "We have four classes together." She said. Rachel noticed they had her mother's class together. This was going to be an interesting year, indeed. "Well, I'll see you second period then." Puck said, walking away to go meet up with his football friends.

* * *

Quinn walked through the halls, her head held high, hands firmly planted on her hips, and a sparkle in her eye. Regaining her head cheerleader status made the blonde feel on top of the world. Order had been restored in her life. When she saw Puck walking down the hallway with a slushie in his hand, she kept walking, not making eye contact with him. There was absolutely no way she'd be giving him the time of day. When she got to her locker, Santana was waiting there. "Bitch move, Fabray." She scowled. "Santana, you know just as well as I do that this friendship is only convenient because we're popular." Santana rolled her eyes. "Look, the only reason I'm not kicking your ass right now is because Sue will kick me off of the team, and I'm already on her shit list, thanks to you."

Quinn actually believed her. "Well, then I'm thankful that you're on the shit list. Look, in a few weeks this will die down, and we'll go back to the unholy trinity. Speaking of, where's Britt?" Santana shrugged. "She probably got lost on the way here. You know how she is." Quinn laughed softly at the thought of their ditzy blonde friend. "Well, I'll see you at practice." She closed her locker, and walked away, tightening her ponytail as she did. She walked into her first class and took a seat in the middle of the classroom. Quinn loved sitting in the middle, it gave her a sense of control. If you sat in the front, you were eligible to automatic humiliation. In the back, you feel pressured when everybody looks at you. But the middle of the classroom was perfect. Rarely does somebody get called on in the middle of the classroom.

The class filled up, and right after the bell rang, the last person came in. Quinn didn't recognize her, and that made the cheerleader curious. McKinley wasn't that big, so she basically knew everybody in the school. Or at least recognized them. The only open seat of course, was right next to Quinn. The girl sat down next to her, and automatically pulled out her iPod. The teacher began his lecture on the syllabus and the rules of his classroom, and Quinn zoned out.

* * *

About halfway through the class, Rachel turned off her iPod, wanting to save the battery for later. When the teacher handed out papers and told the class to put down the information on the board, Rachel realized she didn't have a pen. She turned to a blonde girl next to her. "Hey can I borrow a pen?" She asked, checking her out as she did. The blonde was wearing a cheerleading uniform. _It's like the first day of school, why on Earth is she wearing a cheerleading uniform? _Rachel asked herself.

* * *

Quinn pulled herself back to reality when she heard someone beside her. "Oh, sure." She said, reaching into her bookbag for a pen to give the girl. "Here." She handed it over, and the brunette's hand brushed against hers. She ignored it, and got her own pen out to write down what the teacher was telling them to. "I'm Rachel, by the way." The girl said after another moment. "Quinn Fabray." She answered. "Can I ask you a question?" Quinn looked at the brunette. "Sure..."

"Why are you wearing a cheerleading uniform? I mean, don't get me wrong, it looks hot on you, but it's the first day of school." Quinn raised an eyebrow. "You must be new. The cheerleaders wear their uniforms every day here. It's a thing." Rachel nodded her understanding. "I am new around here, so tell me, Q, is there anyone I should be avoiding at this.. quaint cliche of a small town school?" She asked completely serious. _Did she really just call me Q? She doesn't even know me. This girl is different. _Quinn thought. "Well, _R, _you should definitely avoid the football team, the hockey team and most of the cheerios, unless you want a slushie facial. I mean, unless you want to try out for the cheerios, but you don't look like the cheerleading type." The blonde answered confidently.

"Well, you're right on that count, I'm not the cheerleading type. But, cheerleaders are my type, if you catch my drift." Rachel winked. "Slushie facial? I think Noah Puckerman attempted to do that this morning, and I threatened to rip his balls off. So I don't think it'll be happening again."

"It's interesting that you're so open about your sexuality. It's uncommon in such a small town. I would be careful about that, Rachel. Not everyone is very open minded here." Quinn flinched slightly on the topic of Noah Puckerman. "Well, Puck is kind of an ass." She said simply, hoping to get off of that subject.

"I'm honestly not too worried about it. I grew up in New York, anything that anyone could do is nothing compared to the big apple." Rachel stated.

Quinn had to smile at that. This girl was pretty entertaining, even if she was a bit weird. "So is there anything fun to do here? I've been in town for like a week, and nothing." Rachel said. "Well, actually, not really. Noah Puckerman throws some of the best parties. Other than that, no." Before anything else could be said, the bell rang and everyone cleared out. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Q." Rachel said before walking out of the door to head to her next class to meet up with Puck again, and find out more on the blonde.

Quinn nodded and walked in the opposite direction. _Maybe Rachel's just putting on an act because she's new and needs a friend. She seems nice enough aside from the forwardness. She's funny and witty. Definitely something the cheerios need, but she's not a cheerleading type. Oh well. All I can do is continue to be friendly. We could be friends._

* * *

Rachel walked into second period and waited for Puck to get there. When he did, he sat next to Rachel, and gave her a fist bump. "Hey Berry." He greeted. "So, I met a girl named Quinn Fabray last period. Any dirt on her?" She asked bluntly. Puck stiffened slightly. "Yeah she did that when I mentioned you. What's up with that?" She asked, genuinely curious now. "We had a thing last year. Kinda. More like a one night stand... Except not. She kinda got knocked up." Rachel frowned. "Dude, that sucks. What happened?" Puck sighed. "She had the baby, and gave her up for adoption. I got to hold her once, and then she was gone. Uh, after that, Quinn kinda just shut me out. I don't think about it a lot because it's shitty." He shrugged, and cleared his throat, indicating he was done with that topic. Rachel let it go.

"Well, she told me that there's nothing to do around this place, except when you have parties. So when's the next Noah Puckerman party?" Puck perked up automatically. "Next week after the first football game. It's traditional shit for me. My mom and my sister are in Fort Wayne visiting my nana that weekend, so the house is empty." He smirked. "I even got a fake ID so I can buy booze." The rest of the day went like that, with Puck and Rachel conversating and not paying attention in classes.

Once school was over, Rachel made her way to her mother's classroom, and leaned against a desk. "Was your first day alright, sweetie?" Rachel nodded. "It was good." She answered, still disconnected. "I made some friends. Well, one. Noah Puckerman. He's pretty cool." Shelby sighed. "Rach, I don't know, that Puckerman boy is a bad influence. I've seen the crowd he runs with. But I won't tell you what to do, so I guess just be careful." Rachel nodded boredly. "I know mom, I know." She said. "Let's go home and I'll start working on dinner." Rachel followed her mother to the car and got in, leaving McKinley for the day.

All Quinn could think about was the new girl, and Rachel's mind kept wandering to Quinn Fabray.


End file.
